Communicating the Value of Influenza Vaccines to Patients: Translating Vaccine Effectiveness to Acceptance
Authors: Mark W. Tenforde, Fatimah S. Dawood, Sascha R. Ellington, Lisa A. Grohskopf, Brendan Flannery, Shikha Garg, Carrie Reed
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2023)

Ideas and Opinions28 November 2023Communicating the Value of Influenza Vaccines to Patients: Translating Vaccine Effectiveness to AcceptanceMark W. Tenforde, MD, PhD, MPH, DTM&H, Fatimah S. Dawood, MD, Sascha R. Ellington, PhD, MSPH, Lisa A. Grohskopf, MD, MPH, Brendan Flannery, PhD, Shikha Garg, MD, MPH, and Carrie Reed, DSc, MPHMark W. Tenforde, MD, PhD, MPH, DTM&HInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (M.W.T., F.S.D., S.R.E., L.A.G., B.F., S.G., C.R.)., Fatimah S. Dawood, MDInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (M.W.T., F.S.D., S.R.E., L.A.G., B.F., S.G., C.R.)., Sascha R. Ellington, PhD, MSPHInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (M.W.T., F.S.D., S.R.E., L.A.G., B.F., S.G., C.R.)., Lisa A. Grohskopf, MD, MPHInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (M.W.T., F.S.D., S.R.E., L.A.G., B.F., S.G., C.R.)., Brendan Flannery, PhDInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (M.W.T., F.S.D., S.R.E., L.A.G., B.F., S.G., C.R.)., Shikha Garg, MD, MPHInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (M.W.T., F.S.D., S.R.E., L.A.G., B.F., S.G., C.R.)., and Carrie Reed, DSc, MPHInfluenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (M.W.T., F.S.D., S.R.E., L.A.G., B.F., S.G., C.R.).Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M23-2802 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Influenza vaccines have been routinely recommended in the United States for some groups since 1960 and for everyone 6 months of age or older for more than a decade. Yet, annual influenza vaccination coverage has rarely exceeded 50% in children and younger adults or 70% in adults aged 65 years or older (1). Long-standing barriers to influenza vaccine uptake include beliefs that influenza illness is mild or inconsequential and vaccines are not effective, concerns about safety and adverse effects, and distrust of the medical system and disparities in access to vaccines (1, 2).During the COVID-19 pandemic, influenza vaccination coverage ...References1. Black CL, O'Halloran A, Hung M-C, et al. Vital signs: influenza hospitalizations and vaccination coverage by race and ethnicity—United States, 2009–10 through 2021–22 influenza seasons. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022;71:1366-73. [PMID: 36302226] doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7143e1 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Yeung MP, Lam FL, Coker R. Factors associated with the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination in adults: a systematic review. J Public Health. 2016;38:746-53. [PMID: 28158550] doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdv194 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Razzaghi H, Kahn KE, Calhoun K, et al. Influenza, Tdap, and COVID-19 vaccination coverage and hesitancy among pregnant women—United States, April 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023;72:1065-71. [PMID: 37768879] doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7239a4 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disease burden of flu. Updated 4 October 2022. Accessed at www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html on 17 October 2023. Google Scholar5. Ferdinands JM, Thompson MG, Blanton L, et al. Does influenza vaccination attenuate the severity of breakthrough infections? A narrative review and recommendations for further research. Vaccine. 2021;39:3678-95. [PMID: 34090700] doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.05.011 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Govaert TM, Thijs CT, Masurel N, et al. The efficacy of influenza vaccination in elderly individuals. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. JAMA. 1994;272:1661-5. [PMID: 7966893] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Belongia EA, Simpson MD, King JP, et al. Variable influenza vaccine effectiveness by subtype: a systematic review and meta-analysis of test-negative design studies. Lancet Infect Dis. 2016;16:942-51. [PMID: 27061888] doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(16)00129-8 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Tenforde MW, Chung J, Smith ER, et al. Influenza vaccine effectiveness in inpatient and outpatient settings in the United States, 2015-2018. Clin Infect Dis. 2021;73:386-92. [PMID: 32270198] doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa407 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Grohskopf LA, Blanton LH, Ferdinands JM, et al. Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, 2022–23 influenza season. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2022;71:1-28. [PMID: 36006864] doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7101a1 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Past seasons estimated influenza disease burden averted by vaccination. Updated 2 February 2023. Accessed at www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/past-burden-averted-est.html on 17 October 2023. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Mark W. Tenforde, MD, PhD, MPH, DTM&H; Fatimah S. Dawood, MD; Sascha R. Ellington, PhD, MSPH; Lisa A. Grohskopf, MD, MPH; Brendan Flannery, PhD; Shikha Garg, MD, MPH; Carrie Reed, DSc, MPHAffiliations: Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia (M.W.T., F.S.D., S.R.E., L.A.G., B.F., S.G., C.R.).Disclaimer: The findings and conclusions of this commentary are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Disclosures: Authors have reported no disclosures of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M23-2802.Corresponding Author: Mark W. Tenforde, MD, PhD, MPH, DTM&H, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS H24-7, Atlanta, GA 30333; e-mail, pij6@cdc.gov.Author Contributions: Conception and design: S.R. Ellington, B. Flannery, S. Garg, C. Reed, M.W. Tenforde.Drafting of the article: F.S. Dawood, S.R. Ellington, S. Garg, C. Reed, M.W. Tenforde.Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: F.S. Dawood, S.R. Ellington, B. Flannery, S. Garg, L.A. Grohskopf.Final approval of the article: F.S. Dawood, S.R. Ellington, B. Flannery, S. Garg, L.A. Grohskopf, C. Reed, M.W. Tenforde.Administrative, technical, or logistic support: F.S. Dawood, S. Garg.This article was published at Annals.org on 28 November 2023. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics December 2023Volume 176, Issue 12 Page: 1670-1671 Keywords Children Communication in health care COVID-19 Health care Hospitalizations Outpatients Pulmonary diseases Respiratory viruses Vaccines Young adults ePublished: 28 November 2023 Issue Published: December 2023 PDF downloadLoading ...